Handbag



Jan. 20, 1942.

B. STEMBER HANDBAG Filed Jan. 29, 1941 Patented Jan. 20, 1942 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE HANDBAG Bernard Stember, East Orange, N. J.

Application January 29, 1941, Serial No. 376,443

3 Claims.

This invention relates to handbags and has particular reference to secret pockets therefor.

One object of the invention is to provide a ladys handbag having improved means affording a secret pocket, whereby the latter is more effectively concealed within the bag body than heretofore and is nevertheless readily accessible for use.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a handbag having a secret pocket constructed in an improved means so as to be much more accessible than heretofore.

Another object of the invention is to furnish a handbag having a secret pocket means which is movable in part outside of the handbag for easier inspection of the contents thereof.

Another object isto construct a handbag secret pocket which is folded and whose depth is limited substantially to handlength.

Another object of the invention is to provide a handbag having a fixed partition comprising a folded secret pocket which is readily accessible.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent as the specification proceeds.

With the aforesaid objects in View, the invention consists in the novel combinations and ar rangements of parts hereinafter described in their preferred embodiments, pointed out in the subjoined claims, and illustrated in the annexed drawing, wherein like parts are designated by the same reference characters throughout the several views.

In th drawing:

Figure 1 is a View in elevation with certain parts removed and in section showing a handbag embodying the invention, with the secret pocket unfolded for access thereto.

Figs. 2 and 3 are sectional views taken on the lines 2-4! and 3-3 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a view like that of Fig. 2, but with the secret pocket folded in normal position.

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the open handbag in the position corresponding to that of Fig. 4.

Fig. 6 is a sectional view generally similar to that of Fig. 4, but showing a modification.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary View with parts in elevation and others in section showing another modification, in which the secret pocket is in unfolded position.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken on line B8 of Fig. 7.

Fig. 9 is a view taken on line 99 of Fig. 8.

10 is a sectional view similar to that of '7 but showing in elevation the downwardly folded secret pocket structure.

The advantages of the invention as here outlined are best realized when allof its features and instrumentalities are combined in one and the same structure, but, useful devices may be produced embodying less than the whole.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art to which the invention appertains, that the same may be incorporated in several different constructions. The accompanying drawing, therefore, is submitted merely as showing the preferred exemplification of the invention.

Referring in detail to the drawing, l0 denotes a handbag embodying the invention. The same may comprise a bag body H having side walls l2, l3 affording therebetween a suitable compartment or compartments including a main pocket I4, having a top opening or mouth closed by a slide fastener 15, l5a. If desired, another normally open pocket 14a may be provided between the main pocket l4 and thewall l2 by means of a wall or lining 15 extending between and connected to the end walls ofthe bag body.

Within the bag body H or the main pocket l4 thereof is a pocket means If affording a secret pocket. Desirably, the pocket means I! is formed of opposed walls l8 and a folded lining 19 therebetween, arranged to afford an end opening which is releasably closed by a marginal closure or slide fastener 20 that is adapted to lie in the plane of the pocket member IT. The latter may be constructed and mounted on the wall 43 as by a line of stitching 2! extending along the bottom or lower ends of the walls l8 and upward along the ends thereof at 22. Above the stitching 22, the walls l8 and/or the lining I9 may be interconnected in any suitable manner or by any seam or stitching, not shown. The upper ends of the lining 19 are connected to the side walls I8 by the slide fastener sections as by being stitched to the respective stringers thereof in the well known manner. Thus the lining 19 actually defines the secret pocket 23 afforded by the device ll.

If it be desired to provide an auxiliary pocket 24, the same may be constructed by forming a lining or wall 25 along the wall I3, and desirably sewing it to the latter as at 26 and to the end walls of the bag body in the same way as the lining Hi. In fact, the lining 25 may be a continuation of the lining Hi. If such a lining 25 is provided, the lines of stitching at 2!, 22 need not pass through the wall I3 but may be made with the lining 25,to facilitate manufacture of the device I! outside of the walls l2, 13, so that the various linings and the device I! may afterwards be inserted into and stitched to said walls l2, l3. The device I! may be of any suitable length and may extend for less than the length of the bag body II or the main pocket I4 thereof.

The important features to note in the structure of the device I! and its mounting is that in the unfolded position shown in Figs. 1 and 2,

the device I1 is sufficiently elongated vertically to extend for a substantial distance upward and beyond the open mouth of the main pocket l4. Nevertheless, the secret pocket 23 has its bottom, which is provided by the fold 21 of the lining l9, located at a substantial height above the bottom of the main pocket I4. The depth of the secret pocket 23, as thus determined, is generally like that of the main pocket l4 and is approximately equal to what may be termed hand length to facilitate access to and inspection of the contents of the secret pocket. Nevertheless, the bottom 21 of the secret pocket 23 lies within the bag body H and is thus directly supported by the lines of end stitching 22 against a push which may be exerted by the fingers against said bottom. Of course, the upper end portion of the device I! which projects out of the bag body may be held in the hand while the contents are being handled.

A dominant feature of the handbag is shown in Figs. 4 and 5, in which the device I1 is shown in its normal and usual position, transversely, horizontally folded as at 28 to thus form an inverted generally U-shaped structure, which may thus comprise a fixed arm 29 and a free or movable depending arm 30. The line of folding at 28 may be determined by the upper ends of the stitching 22 and by stiffening means, not shown, and is relatively closely below the slide fastener l5, |a so that the latter may be freely opened and closed. In this normal folded position, the arm 30, which contains the secret pocket, lies wholly within the main body with the slide fastener 20 thereof lying near the bottom but somewhat above the same and underneath and thus concealed by the arm 3U. Accordingly, the folded device I! forms a partition as shown in Fig. 5, between the compartments I4 and 24, and from above presents the appearance of conventional handbag structure, for effective concealment of the secret pocket. Nor can the latter be readily opened unless the pocket means I! is unfolded out of the main pocket |4 as shown in Fig. 2, since the slide fastener 20 is quite inaccessible and is protectively enclosed within the handbag bottom.

In Fig. 6 is shown a modification 30 which is like the handbag l0, except that the pocket means 3|, corresponding to that at IT, is of less length in the vertical direction and is set lower into the bag body 32, the movable arm or section 33 of the U-shaped form being shorter and being received in an adjacent auxiliary pocket 34 which may be like the pocket 24 or longer.

With this arrangement, the movable section may project relatively little beyond the closure I 5, |5a

when the pocket means 3| is unfolded as indicated in Fig. 2, but here also, the secret pocket is of hand depth and is above the bottom of the main pocket 35. Since the section 33 forms a rather short flap-like portion, it may be detachably secured to an adjacent part of the device 3|, but, in general, the pocket 34 will serve to hold it down snugly, especially at the opposite ends of the pocket 34. In addition, the device 30 includes a lining 36 for the pocket 31, and such a lining may also be provided for the pocket Ma.

In Figs. 7, 8, 9 and 10 is shown another modification 40 which is like the handbag I0, except that a slide fastener such as 4| is provided along the top or fold of the partition structure such as indicated in Fig. 5, to thus account for the thickness of the partition, and lead a person to believe that the pocket 42 which communicates with the fastener 4| is the only pocket in the partition. In this way concealment of the secret pocket 43 which is closed by a slide fastener 44 is rendered more complete and more difficult to detect.

For these purposes, I provide walls 45, 46, sewn to the wall 4! of the handbag as by stitching at 48, 49, as at 2|, 22, with the pocket lining 43 connected to the fastener 44, and the pocket lining 42 connected to the fastener 4|. These pockets lie at least partially alongside of each other as shown and will be secured by the lines of stitching 50. In the unfolded position of Figs. 7 and 8, the secret pocket 43 opens upward, and the pocket 42 opens downward, with the slide fastener 4| being somewhat below the slide fastener section 50;. A portion of the wall 45 may be upwardly folded at the bottom to provide an auxiliary normally concealed open pocket 5| which is formed by the stitching 48, 49.

When the secret pocket 43 is in normal position, it is downwardly moved by folding of the walls such as 45, 46 to produce an arrangement like that indicated in Fig. 4, and as shown in Fig. 10, in which the structure forms a partition like that of Fig. 5, but having along the top thereof the slide fastener 4| to assure superior concealment of the secret pocket.

It will be noted that the structure afforded by this invention is superior to those heretofore provided in respect to accessibility of the secret pocket. Heretofore, the means assuring secrecy formed obstructions and encumbrances against access, which are wholly eliminated herein.

I claim:

1. A handbag including a bag body having a main pocket having a top opening, an inverted generally U-shaped folded means forming a part of the bag body and having one arm thereof free for upward movement in unfolding said means, the latter having a secret pocket therein having an opening at the lower end of the free arm, and a releasable closure for said opening, said means comprising an auxiliary pocket located solely in the free arm thereof, said auxiliary pocket having an opening at the top of the fold of said means.

2. A handbag including a bag body having a main pocket having a top opening, an inverted generally U-shaped folded means located wholly within the main, pocket .and constituting a partition therefor, said folded means having one arm thereof free for upward movement in unfolding said means, the latter having a secret pocket therein having an opening at the lower end of the free arm, a releasable closure for said opening, said means comprising an auxiliary pocket in the free arm thereof, said auxiliary pocket having a closeable opening at the top of the fold of said means.

3. A handbag including a bag body having a main pocket having a top opening, an inverted generally U-shaped folded means forming a partition for the bag body and having one arm thereof free for upward movement in unfolding said means, the folded partition means having a plurality of pockets therein including pocket portions in the free arm thereof, one pocket portion having an opening and a closure therefor at the free end of said arm, and the other pocket portion having an opening and a closure therefor at the fold line of said means.

BERNARD STEMBER. 

